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Just about any dietitian you meet will tell you that it wasn’t their first career choice as they were growing up.

“You don’t find a lot of high school kids saying they want to become a dietitian,” says Tamar Kafka, dietetics education coordinator for the faculty of land and food systems at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver. “Usually it happens at the university level.”

That’s what happened to Kimberley Black, who started out studying immunology and infection at the University of Alberta. After spending some time working in a coffee shop, she realized that a career in dietetics appealed to her. “I started thinking about how important food was to health. I also realized I wanted to interact with people rather than be in a research lab or office.”

She went back to UBC to do two additional years of course work and one year of internships. She landed a job recently as a food security dietitian for North Island Aboriginal Health for Campbell River Hospital, where she provides nutritional counselling for First Nations communities along the West Coast.

Getting a job hasn’t been a problem for Black or many of her classmates, she adds. “I actually got my first job in Nanaimo less than a month after I graduated.”

In fact, 90 per cent of UBC graduates are employed in the field within three months of graduation, with 80 per cent of those ending up in some form of health care environment, says Kafka.

Anyone interested in dietetics needs to fulfil both academic and practical experience requirements. While programs vary across the country, it’s typically four years of course-based content (basic sciences, social sciences, communications, etc.) plus 30 to 40 weeks of internships. Internships can be done as a postgraduate year or integrated in a five-year degree program. Once completed, graduates must write a national certification exam.

Getting internships can be extremely competitive, so beyond good grades, a lot of consideration is given to students’ experience, references and performance in an interview, Kafka says. “We look for people with a good understanding of what the profession is and who demonstrate a strong commitment to the field. Critical thinking skills and the ability to integrate and analyze information are also important, as well as the ability to interact with others.”

Marlene Wyatt, director of professional affairs for Dietitians of Canada in London, Ont., says there has been a shift in the career landscape for dietitians as options diversify. “Ten years ago more than 60 per cent worked in health care positions in hospitals. Now that’s about 45 per cent and 15 to 20 per cent go into public/community health roles. The big push, not surprisingly, is in long-term and primary care.”

The good news for graduates is there are shortages across the country, although the level of demand varies, she adds. “If you’re willing to move, the jobs are there.”

Wyatt says to succeed in the field, individuals first need a good background in science. “You also need a solid grounding in social sciences. The biggest thing for dietitians, beyond the knowledge base, however, is having empathy with your clients and strong communications skills. This is a very client-centered field because you’re working with patients and medical staff to meet people’s health needs.”

The best part, she says, is the variety on the job. “No two days are the same. Like any science-related profession, you’re always finding out new things as research changes.”

There are numerous career options, Kafka says. “You can work in acute or residential care, public health, community services, policy development, food service management or private practice. There are also positions in marketing and retail, as well as education and research. And the demand will only expand as baby boomers get older and interest in healthy eating grows.”

The biggest surprise for Black was how diverse the field is, she says. “More and more dietitians are doing things outside the box. So if a certain job doesn’t make you happy, there are definitely other things you can do.”

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